Aiptasia, how careful are you?

I hate aptasia! I've never completely eradicated it but I've kept it under control. I'm never buying any aptasia killing solution again. No matter the brand it only was a temporary fix and they came back worse. I've had great success with my file fish but there's always new one popping up so technically I haven't won. My next tank will be done with dry rock, no sand and a lot more patience. My aptasia problem started with a few tucked away in a hole so you couldn't see them initially.

 

Got to tell ya guys it's so nice to hear I am not the only one that never fully eradicated aiptasia with any of the popular methods.

Everyone seems to be swearing by lemon juice, boiling water, joe'sjuice, aiptasia X as the end all to aiptasia, none of them ever worked long term for me, they always came back eventually, even after peppermint shrimp hell.


Zesty, it's all fun and games until someone gets a laser my friend. And yes I fully agree that those remedies just compound the problem, seem aiptasia just release more of the little anemone zombies when kalked, pasted, boiled, burned, squished.

 

Haven't had aptasia for 6 or 7 years until I bought some corals from reefs2go and last bunch had three frags that have sprouted aptasia. Wont buy from them again.

 

I hear ya.

I am very particular about where I buy frags. It's unacceptable to sell livestock with a pest that you can clearly see. If Aiptasia are present you can see them.

 

Kinda hate to break up the party, but I've had 2 in 2 different tanks. Tried lemon juice the first time and took them out. For the second tank, with lemon juice they came back multiple times. Aptasia X took care of them after 2 tries, but also killed the 3 zoas they were on. No problems for over a year.

 

I had eradicated them with aiptasia-X once before. Well couple months back bought some chaeto from LFS, about a week later cleaning my tank and notice a huge bastard in chaeto so damn LFS gave them to me. Threw that out and thoroughly cleaned the fuge area and looked around tank for others and all looked good.

Go to a different lfs and get some chaeto and looked around at it and picked out what I did not like then put it in fuge.. would you freaking believe next day I see some in the new chaeto. Removed it and picked through it again.

I am daily killing aiptasia. 1 or 2 here and there. I am an inspection freak at this point. Not going to let these bastards win.

 

Oh by all means I want to hear both sides.

I just don't get it. When I use kalk paste or Aipasia or Joes...I apply to an open Aiptasia, pumps turned off and product left on aiptasia for approx 10 minutes. Yes those particular Aiptasia were toast, it was all the Aiptasia released by the dying one that were the issue.

Here at Salty Underground, we found that if the anemone is repeatedly irritated (say, by consistently removing the head-or oral disc), it will asexually reproduce at an alarming rate. Some hobbyists attempt to remove their Aiptasia manually, but it can result in a population explosion.
http://www.saltyunderground.com/article_info.php?articles_id=34

My last tank I had for 5 or 6 years, I never won the battle completely.

It was not re-introduction it was regeneration that was the issue.

 

After hearing about others experience, I just figure I had beginners luck.

 

I think youre a bit paranoid. I think anything can be eradicated if you spend the time and effort to do it. I remember a few years back I had xenia and kenya tree in my tank. It started to talk over. With alot of effort and pateience, it all went away. I have had some aiptasia in my tanks along with everyother hobbiest. When you spot them, kill them with whatever method you like to use and feel comfortable using.

 

Hence the entire reason I started the thread. Do you really think that is not exactly what I do. Sure after treatment the Aiptasia appears nuked, dead, gone. Four months down the road I notice the off spring begin to take hold. The Aiptasia is releasing planula upon it's imminent death. The degree to which the the Aiptasia continue to spread is influenced by the available food source to some extent.

 

I had an extreme infestation over a year ago, bought 6 pep shrimps, they wiped out the lot of them and have not had a peep of problems since. The peps eat meaty foods and don't bother any of my softies/leathers/zoas/euphilia

 

Just because you killed some aptasia doesn't mean you've won or are in the clear. You can have all the patience in the world but when your killing aptaisia and weeks later your dealing with offspring it's not paranoia. I have to disagree civic.